Spring clips are commonly provided on tape rule casings, tools and the like, so that such objects can be carried in a handy position on a belt or other garment part, and readily removed for use. By themselves, however, clips of this type are not optimal in certain respects, particularly as concerns the facility and security of engagement that they afford. It is often found necessary to use both hands to insert the supporting belt into the clip, and it is not uncommon for the rule to become disengaged inadvertently, such as by contact of the instrument or tool with a part of the user's body; he is of course inconvenienced in both cases. A further disadvantage resides in the fact that the frequent attachment and removal of the clip causes unsightly marring, and undue wear, of the belt.
The broad idea of providing a supplemental belt-supported holder, for attachment of an article, a ring, or the like, is well known in the art and has been developed in a variety of forms, as evidenced by the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 727,402; 781,629; 3,659,759; 3,886,773; 3,970,227; 3,992,776; 4,226,006; and 4,358,036. Each of the foregoing discloses a member adapted for engagement upon a belt, waistband, or other garment part. In particular, the Koppe et al patent (U.S. Pat. No. 3,992,776) provides a spring metal band having a first, belt-retaining portion adjacent its upper end and a pair of curvilinear portions adjacent its lower end, which provide spring tension for holding a knife sheath; the Hardy patent (U.S. Pat. No. 3,970,227) shows a belt clip which has an out-turned lip 22 and an inner bend 25; and the Maltais U.S. Pat. No. 4,358,036 discloses a belt clip having a pocket portion for receiving a tongue of a clip permanently fastened to a tool or other object (see FIG. 7).
Despite such patent art, a need has remained for a holder that is capable of facile assembly with a tape rule or other object having a spring clip or similar supporting fixture thereon, for securely engaging the same against inadvertent disassembly. Of course, any such holder must itself be readily and yet securely engaged on the belt or other garment part and, as a practical matter, must also be relatively facile and inexpensive to manufacture.
In copending and commonly assigned application Ser. No. 732,681 filed on May 10, 1985 in the name of Bernard G. Lecher, Sr. and entitled RULE CLIP HOLDER FOR BELT OR THE LIKE, a holder is disclosed and claimed which satisfies, to a substantial extent, the foregoing needs. Nevertheless, the holder may not be found to be optimal in all respects, such as with regard to the level of security that it provides against inadvertent disassembly of the supported object.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel holder for suspending a tool or other article, such as a measuring rule, having a spring clip or like fixture with a resiliently deflectable tongue or insert portion thereon, which holder readily receives and securely engages the insert portion, and cooperates therewith to minimize the chance of inadvertent disassembly.
It is also an object of the invention to provide such a holder which is itself easily placed and securely affixed or mounted upon a belt or other supporting part, and is relatively facile and inexpensive to manufacture.